Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

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Most of us romanticize about the spaces we currently do not occupy. I
suppose the cliche way to say it is that to silly sheep like us the
grass looks a whole lot more satisfying over there.

In Haiti as the supply of food dwindled, even though appetites did not, there were dreams of mouth-watering, home-cooked food.

As
dust swirled around and settled on every surface in the bush of Africa
there were dreams of the hot showers and washing machines of home.

As
sweat poured from every pore and the sun beat down mercilessly in Asia
there were dreams of our air-conditioned American homes.

As we
piled into marshrutkas and the Metro, smashed like sardines, unable to
move and barely able to breathe, in Ukraine there were dreams of
driving around town with a coffee in one hand, music turned up, windows
rolled down and absolutely no one else in the vehicle.

Home, sweet, home.

As
the days stretch before me numbingly absent of human interaction,
seemingly without purpose, and filled with all the things longed for in
eleven months overseas there are dreams of those places around the
world… and from here even the worst moments do not look quite so bad.
 
Haiti also brought days of laughter, smiles and hugs followed by nights of proclamation and worship with orphans.
 
In the dust and dirt of Africa were precious ones who danced as hard as they labored and families in need of the hope we knew and brought.
 
There was respite from the sun, if not the heat, in Asia at night, where Kingdom came in red light districts and along streets lined with beggars young and old.
 
The torture of public transport now seems nothing to endure compared to spending time with the university students and learning of their hopes and fears in large, unfriendly city that captured my heart.

World, sweet, world.

For
hours my presence has warmed the burgundy rocker reliving memories of
this year, mourning a loss of something not fully explainable.

Wandering
the mall a few days ago, watching people carry huge bags while walking
determinedly to their next destination and spouting information into
cell phones, my mind strolled down the thought avenue of “what if”. What if all
the malls took one day’s profits, just one, out of the year and put it
towards ending poverty?  It would be a start at least.  I find my mind takes a
walk through the “what if” corridor a lot more often lately.

The
draw to live beyond the normal status quo, to impact the world and see
the Kingdom of God operating on earth as in heaven seems some days to
be a rather weighty matter and then some days it just comes natural.
Here, at this point in time, it just doesn’t seem to come natural or
easy, but then I am certain God never promised it would.

The
truth is it isn’t about being here or there because we are children of
God no matter location. We have everything needed to bring light to
dark recesses and proclaim the Kingdom but do we recognize that?  We should be content wherever He sends
us, humbled that He would desire to use us and so in love with Him and
those who need Him that we will go anywhere and do anything… even if
that place is back home for a little while.
 
And as I consider it  maybe being here isn’t so bad.
 
Lord, help me be content wherever you have me and in whatever circumstances, looking to You alone and walking with my Spirit tuned into You so that truly where You go I’ll go, what You say I’ll say, and what You pray I’ll pray.